Ulric t



(No Model.) U. T. MENGERT. CARPET 'STRBTGHBR.

Patented Apr. 20, 1897 UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIC ULRIO T. MENGERT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CARPET-.STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,167, dated April 20, 1897.

Application filed December 11, 1896. Serial No, 615,362. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ULRIC T. MENGERT, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers; and I do declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of carpetstretchers which are adapted to hold tacks and to permit of the same being conveniently driven at the proper points to fasten the carpet after the same has been stretched; and it consists in the peculiar, simple, and inexpensive construction novel combination, and adaptation of parts, hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim appended.

- In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved carpet-stretcher and tackholder. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the hinged plate removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the tack-holders. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating the manner of using thestretcher and tack-holder; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of the device in its operative position.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, A indicates the body-bar of my improved device, which is preferably beveled at its forward end, as indicated by a, for a purpose presently described, and has its rear end enlarged, as indicated by b, to better withstand the blows of a hammer or the like, and B indicates a plate which is connected to the under side of the bar A immediately in rear of the beveled end thereof, as illustrated. This plate B is provided, preferably at its forward end, with a series of teeth 0, which depend from the plate and are designed to engage the carpet to be stretched, so as to carry the same along with the bar A when the same is moved, as presently set forth.

0 indicates a plate which is connected with the bar A in a hinged manner by staples d or other suitable means and is normally pressed and held against the beveled end a of said bar by a flat spring D, which is fixedly connected to the under side of the bar and has its free end arranged in a recess m in the under side of plate 0, as shown. This plate 0 is provided in its under side with recesses e, which extend to its forward edge, and in these recesses e are arranged the tack-holders E. The said tack-holders are formed of resilient metal and connected to the plate 0 at or adjacent to their rear ends, and they have their forward ends curved downwardly and provided with bifurcations f, so as to permit of the shanks of tacks being readily placed in the bifurcations of the holders and their heads interposed between the holders and the plate 0, as illustrated.

In virtue of the tack-holders E being arranged in the recesses e of the plate 0 and the spring D having its free end arranged in the recess m of said plate, lateral movement of both tack-holders and spring is effectually prevented, the connections of the tack-holders to the plate C and the spring to the body are materially strengthened, and the liability of both tack-holders and spring being broken or impaired when the device is in use is reduced to a minimum.

In using my improved carpet-stretcher and tack-holder the tacks are placed in the holders E, and the device is then placed upon the carpet adjacent to the edge of the same with the teeth 0 in engagement with the carpet. The rear end of the bod y-barA is then struck repeatedly with a hammer or the like until the carpet is stretched a sufficient distance, when said body-bar is held and a blow of the hammer is imposed upon the hinged plate 0, so as to drive the tacks through the carpet and a short distance into the floor. The device is then drawn rearwardly and away from the tacks, when the driving of the tacks may be completed. If desirable, the driving of the tacks may be completed by striking the plate 0 repeated blows, but I prefer to start the tacks by a single blow on said plate and then finishthe operation by striking the tacks directly upon their heads, the stretcher and tack-holder being withdrawn in the meantime, so as to prevent the plate 0 from being injured by the repeated hammer-blows. The spring D serves to normally hold the plate 0 in the raised position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and it will therefore be seen that said plate or the tacks held thereby will not in any way interfere with the stretching of the carpet in the manner described.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have illustrated a modification of the invention, which comprises a body-bar A, equipped with the same devices as the bar A, (shown in Figs. 1 to l,) and a second bar F, connected in a hinged manner to the rear of the body-bar. In using this construction the tacks are placed in the holders E, and the teeth a are engaged with the carpet. The bars are then flexed, as shown in Fig. 5, and the bar F is held against endwise movement by the operator placing his feet against its rear end or by any other suitable means, after which the operator presses the bars down into alinement with each other, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. This will forcibly move the bar A forwardly and will stretch the carpet in the direction desired, after which the carpet maybe tacked in the manner before described.

It will be observed from the foregoing that my improved device is exceedingly cheap and simple and yet forms a highly eftieient carpet-stretcher, and one which may be operated with a minimum amount of effort.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- The herein-described carpet-stretcher consisting essentially of the following elements, viz: the body-bar having its forward end beveled on its under side throughout its width, the metallic plate B, connected to the under side of the body-bar and having the depending teeth arranged in a transverse series adjacent to the beveled end of said bar, the metallic plate 0, connected in a hinged manner to the body-bar at the point where the under side of said body merges into the beveled end and having the recesses c, in its under side extending to its forward edge and also having the recess on, between said recesses e, the tack-holders E, formed of resilient metal and arranged in the recesses e, of the plate 0, and having their rear ends connected to said plate and their forward ends curved downwardly and provided with bifurcations,and the spring 1), secured at one end to the under side of the body-bar and having its opposite end arranged in the recess m, of the plate 0, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ULRIC 'l. MENGER'I.

\Vitncsses:

THOMAS E. TUnrix, WALTER James. 

